Iran and America ready to announce historic nuclear deal

John Kerry said he had had a 'very good meeting' with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad ZarifCarlos Barria/AP

Marathon negotiations aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear programme crawled towards an apparent climax yesterday amid indications that a deal could be announced today.

Diplomats in Vienna, where the talks are taking place, expressed optimism last night that a final agreement was at hand — capping nearly a decade of fractious diplomacy, including the past two weeks of intense negotiations during which three deadlines have come and gone with multiple threats from each side to walk out.

Some spoke of an agreement being finalised last night, with a grand announcement being made this morning. Others said that the full agreement could not be drafted and sent to the capitals of Iran and the six world powers negotiating with it in such a short time.